In order to efficiently determine the number of base stations and configuration locations in a wireless communication system such as in cellular telephony, configuration design of base stations is performed using a base station configuration design support system that has a radio wave propagation simulation function. In a conventional base station configuration design method using a base station configuration design system, one or a plurality of base stations are configured at base station configuration candidate points in an area that is to be designed, and an estimation is made of a proportion (area coverage ratio) of an area (service area) in which service by a group of the base stations in question is possible, with respect to the entire area that is to be designed. In the same way, an area coverage ratio is evaluated for another base station configuration pattern, and evaluation is repeated until a base station configuration pattern is obtained in which a desired area coverage ratio is achieved. In a case where this type of trial and error optimum configuration search for base station configuration is carried out, there is a problem in that, each time a base station configuration pattern is given, a detailed radio wave propagation characteristic estimation is required, that extends over an entire area to be designed for each base station, and a very large amount of processing time is taken.
Therefore, according to Patent Document 1, a method is disclosed in which, in order that the proportion of area where reception power is greater than or equal to a fixed value at points where quality is evaluated, is greater than or equal to a prescribed value, and to have a minimum number of base stations, optimization is performed using a genetic algorithm.
Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a cell design method in which installation positions of wireless LAN terminals are specified, and based on a specification of the wireless LAN terminals and wireless base stations, the position and number of the wireless base stations for covering the specified wireless LAN terminals are calculated.    [Patent Document 1] JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2001-285923A    [Patent Document 2] JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2003-274444A